I Remember Nothing
by Mistressjessica1028
Summary: This story is told from Eric's POV. This picks up after Eric's POV in my story Resolutions. This is the story of amnesia Eric as he deals with the events in Dead to the World. Rated M for violence and lemons. Thanks to Slayergirl for planting this seed in my brain. I hope you like the way it blossoms!
1. I Remember Nothing

I remember nothing!

My mind is a blank slate; I have no recollection of who I am. I do know what I am; vampire. Do not ask me how I know what a vampire is, but I know that I am one.

I have no idea how I came to be in my current location. It is as if I have been in a coma and have suddenly woken up in a strange place where nothing is familiar.

I find myself walking down a gravel road in the middle of nowhere. Not that I would recognize anything once I see it…I do not know where I am heading but something is compelling me to move forward. It is as if an invisible rope is around my body pulling me in this direction.

The night is cold; I can tell we are in winter. I can also tell that the sun will rise in a few hours. It is as if there is a clock inside of me, tracking the seconds until the sun's early rays break across the horizon. I can sense that I have not seen the sun in a very long time.

My ears detect the sound of an approaching vehicle. I know about vehicles, yet I have no idea why I am without shoes and a shirt. This situation I find myself in is puzzling indeed. I am walking along the side of the road, so I have no fear that the vehicle will strike me. The vehicle pulls beside me. I do not glance towards the vehicle; friend or foe, I do not know what awaits me in that car.

"Can I help you?" The driver asks through a gap in the window. I stiffen as a slight breeze wafts the scent of the human towards me. I panic as I realize I am very hungry. I do not wish to harm this woman for trying to be a Good Samaritan. I continue walking forward; perhaps if I do not acknowledge the driver, she will leave me alone.

I hear the car shift into park, and the driver's side door opens. "Eric! It's me!" the woman calls out.

I turn around quickly, my fangs fully extended, my hands twisted into claws, hissing escaping from my mouth. The girl stops suddenly with her hands in front of her as a sign of peace. This is the first chance I have to really look at the girl. She is beautiful like an angel; long golden hair pulled back from her face, tan skin that seems to glow with the light of the sun, and wide expressive blue eyes that stare at me with fright. I cannot tell about her body because she is wearing a hideous coat, but I have a feeling that she has a lush figure a man could lose himself in. My fangs are aching from lust now as well as hunger.

"Stay back woman!" I do not know if I am warning her or myself. My voice sounds raspy, as if I have a cold. Of course that is impossible; vampires cannot fall ill.

"What are you doing out here?" The woman demands with her hands on her hips. The angel has fire…

"You know me?" I ask curiously. I rise out of my defensive crouch and slide my fangs back into my gums. This girl seems familiar to me. Nothing concrete, but I feel that I am safe with her. I feel at ease, peaceful.

"Of course I know you, Eric. Stop messing around!" she says in exasperation. She crosses her arms over her chest, pushing her breasts tightly together, straining against the fabric of the coat. I knew I was right about her body…

"Eric is my name?" A name…my name; I had hoped that I would recognize my name, but I feel nothing.

My confusion has finally penetrated the woman's defenses. "Eric Northman is the name you go by these days. Do you know why you are out here?" she asks quietly, concern for me etching across the features of her beautiful face.

"I remember nothing. I was a void until you found me." My eyes search her face, hoping to see any clues about myself.

"You know you're a vampire, right?" she asks with fear. She is scared of me. This I cannot allow. She is my lifeline; she is all I have in this existence.

"Of course, and you are not. Do not fear me; I mean you no harm," I say to reassure her.

"Famous last words," she mumbles looking at me skeptically. I do not understand. She squares her shoulders and straightens to her full height. Her head does not even reach my shoulders. Is she trying to intimidate me?

"Come on then," she gestures towards her car. "It's late, I'm tired, and it's freezing out here. We'll go to my house." She walks back to her vehicle and opens the passenger door. She reaches inside and pulls out a crotched afghan. It is quite possibly the most hideous thing I have ever seen…at least I cannot remember anything as ugly. She walks towards me with the blanket and holds it out to me. I look at her in confusion.

"Here, put this on. You look cold." She glances down at my feet and a small sound of distress escapes her. My feet are bare and covered with mud and blood from cuts I have on my feet. "Oh Eric," she says sadly.

I take the blanket from her and cover up as best I can. The cold does not affect me as it does a human, but the warmth of the blanket does feel good against my skin. I gingerly walk forward, staring at her car. I have serious doubts that I can fit inside it.

"Eric?" she questions. I glance at her face and can see her exhaustion. I do not wish to burden her further, so I bend my body inside her rusted metal bucket.

We drive in silence for a few miles and stop in front of a rundown farmhouse. I frown as I take in my surroundings. The farmhouse has seen better days; parts of the porch are in disrepair and the paint is faded. What gets me is how isolated the house is.

"You live here alone?" I ask troubled.

"Yes, I grew up here. My Gran lived here until…" Her voice trails off as sadness overwhelms her. Wait, why can I tell how she is feeling?

We get out of the car and I am scanning the area for any dangers that lurking about. My savior moves on autopilot to the door with her keys in hand. She is blithely unaware of how vulnerable she is out here. I hover behind her, making sure she is protected. She pushes the door open and walks into what looks to be the kitchen. I move to follow her but cannot. An invisible barrier separates me from her. A sound of distress escapes my mouth as I push futilely against the invisible shield.

"Oh, I'm sorry! Eric, won't you please come in?" I rush inside and close the door behind me and flip all the locks. I turn around to find her at the sink filling a pan with water. She gestures for me to have a seat in one of the chairs at the kitchen table. She puts the pan of water on the ground. I can see the steam rising from the pan.

"Those pants are filthy. Rather than get them wet, take them off and I can wash them for you tomorrow." She turns her back to me so that I can undress in private. Her modesty is adorable. I pull off my pants to find myself encased in red bikini underwear. I shrug my shoulders…not what I thought my choice in underwear would be. I pull the blanket around my body as much as possible and sit down in the chair. I guide my feet into the pan of water and moan in appreciation. The warmth feels amazing! My angel takes the pants I left on the floor and takes them out to the porch where her washer and dryer are.

Once she comes back in, she reaches for her telephone. How is it I know about technology but I do not know anything about myself?

"What are you doing?" I ask panicked.

"I'm going to call Fangtasia." At my blank expression, she explains. "Fangtasia is the bar you own with Pam, your progeny. She is probably worried about you."

"How do you know she is not the one that did this to me?" I am hesitant to trust anyone else in the this situation. I somehow think that the more people knowing about my situation will be worse for me.

"Well we need to know either way." She makes her telephone call. She reaches this Pam and speaks with her for a few minutes. From what I am able to hear, witches have done this to me. Pam asks my angel to keep me here for the evening, unless my angel thinks I am a danger to her. I would never harm her, and I feel insulted that this Pam thinks I would. Pam will come tomorrow night to explain everything, and ends the call. I am happy that I do not have to leave.

The water in the pan is cold, but it does not bother me. I am swirling my feet in the water. My angel turns to face me, and a small smile spreads across her face, amusement bubbling up inside her. She moves over to the sink and grabs a towel and soap. "This may hurt a little," she says as she kneels on the ground at my feet. She washes my feet with the soap and cloth. It stings as she washes a particularly deep cut on my foot. However, once all the loose rocks and dirt are out, my skin stitches itself back together. She lifts my feet out of the pan of water and places them on the floor. She dries my feet with another towel. I am grateful for how she is taking care of me even though I know she is exhausted.

"Thank you," I say simply. I do not know how I can ever repay her for what she is doing for me.

She nods in understanding. She stands from the floor and she sways on her feet. I reach out to steady her by grabbing her arm. She feels so warm through her t-shirt. I want to wrap myself around her warmth and snuggle in.

She moves out of my reach and walks down a hallway towards the back of the house. I find her in a bedroom lifting items out of a closet. Once the floor is clear, she lifts a trap door. "I know it's not as fancy as you are probably used to," she says gesturing to the space, "but it's light-tight. You will be safe there during the day." I nod in understanding. I do not know what type of accommodations I usually favor; I am grateful to have a safe place to rest.

"Do I have to get in there now?" I do not want to leave my angel's side. She is all I know in this existence; I find her comforting.

She looks down tiredly and shakes her head no. She leaves the room, heading to her bedroom. I hear her grab items from a dresser, and she moves to the bathroom. I move to her bedroom and inhale deeply. Her scent is very sweet. In her bedroom, it is very concentrated and my fangs click down in desire. I move to her dresser and see various bottles of perfume. I quickly smell the bottles, but cannot find the source of her scent. It must be unique to her. I want to bathe in her scent; I want to surround myself with it always. It is both comforting and arousing.

I hear my angel finishing up in the bathroom, so I move to sit in the chair in the corner of her room. She comes out of the bathroom wearing a long flannel gown that completely hides her figure. She turns the light off and climbs into the bed. I feel the need to be close to her, so I climb into the bed next to her. I can feel her stiffen, so I seek to reassure her that my intentions are pure…mostly.

"Woman, what is your name?" I must know her name.

"Sookie, Sookie Stackhouse," she mumbles sleepily. Her hand reaches for mine underneath the covers and our fingers intertwine. She falls asleep holding my hand. Her face is towards mine, her hair fans out on her pillow like the rays of the sun. Her chest rises and falls as she breathes deeply in sleep. I find it peaceful to watch Sookie sleep. I have so many questions about her. How did we meet? What is our relationship to each other? I have been able to sense her emotions all evening, so I know she had my blood at some point. Does that mean she is mine? The thought of her being mine fills me with excitement. But if she is mine, why does she live in this house? Why have I not provided for her? Am I such a selfish asshole that I do not take care of her?

I stay with her as long as I possibly can. When I leave her, it feels as if I am leaving a part of myself with her. I lower myself into the hole in the closet. I stretch my body out as best I can in the cramped space. My last thought before I enter my day time rest is of my angel…my savior…my Sookie.


	2. I Knew You Were Trouble

_AN: I'm so sorry for the delay with this chapter, but the muse has been stronger this week for ADL then this story. I'll be away in Atlanta on a business trip, so hopefully I can stockpile some chapters since I will have my nights free. To answer questions I have received, this is not going to be an exact retelling of Dead to the World. Happy reading._

I reanimate an hour or so before sunset. Hmm, I must be very old if I can rise while the sun is still out. Unfortunately, I am confined to this cramped space until the sun sets.

I can hear Sookie moving around the house. She seems peaceful today. I hope she rested after her long night. I do not want to add to her burdens; she already seems to have limited means of survival.

I am again plagued with questions about my relationship to Sookie. Why does she have my blood inside her? Was she injured? Do I wish to control her? Were we lovers? Are we still? I am hopeful she will answer my questions this evening after we speak to Pam. Sookie said Pam is my progeny, but the name is unfamiliar to me. Perhaps if I see her, something will come to mind.

I hear a diesel truck come speeding up the driveway to the house. My body tenses in fear. Is it someone who has come looking for me? Will they hurt Sookie? My fangs slide out at the thought. I do not want her to be hurt because of me. She deserves so much better than what my world can off her. I know she is a good person; whom else would stop and help a damaged vampire? Who else would take a vampire into their home for safe-keeping?

I hear the sound of boots on her front porch indicating that it is a man, and then a knock at the door. The door opens before Sookie even answers it. It must be someone who she is familiar with if they can come in the house uninvited. The thought troubles me, could this be a lover? Someone she has chosen over me?

I listen intently to the conversation. Sookie and the unidentified man speak softly but I am able to hear the conversation. He asks what time she got in the previous evening; good, he must care about her safety. They then begin discussing a woman the man had been with last night. A small smile of satisfaction spreads across my face; the man was not intimate with Sookie. I catch Sookie trying to explain to the man (Jason she called him) that there were things out there besides vampires. He seems stunned by the idea. The conversation ceases for a few minutes as Jason digests this news. He changes the conversation to local gossip about what happened the previous evening with people they are both acquainted with.

The sun finally sets so I am able to climb out of my confined space. I realize Sookie has washed my clothes, but I have nothing to put on. I do not wish to embarrass her by walking around her house in my underwear. Not that it would bother me, but I feel that Sookie is a modest woman. I see a brown robe hanging on a hook by the door. I put it on to cover me; it is too short for me as it does not fully cover my arms and legs, but it is better than nothing. I hear Jason ask Sookie if there was anything she needed from town since he plans to head in that direction. She asks him to get synthetic blood and clothing for me. I walk silently down the hallway as she is describing the type of clothing she wants him to get.

"Anybody I know?" Jason asks.

"Me," I say in a deep rumble.

Jason whips around as if expecting an attack. Jason goggles at me and casts a shocked glance at Sookie. "This is your newest man, Sookie? You didn't let any grass grow under your feet." I glare at him because it sounds like he is insulting her.

"Well, Sook, ain't you gonna introduce me?" Jason demands.

She takes a deep breath and looks between us reluctantly. I can feel her hesitation. "Better not," she says.

Jason looks hurt that she won't introduce us, and I am offended. Is she ashamed of me? "Eric," I say as I stick my hand out in greeting.

Jason puts his hand in mine and we shake. "Jason Stackhouse, this rude lady's brother," he says gesturing his chin towards Sookie. I stay expressionless but inside I am gleeful. Her brother; she is not involved with him romantically.

Jason pulls his hand away to glare at Sookie. "I'm assuming there's a reason why you two can't go out to buy him more clothes."

She nods her head. "There's a good reason. And there's about twenty good reasons you should forget you ever saw this guy!"

"Are you in danger?" Jason turns to ask me.

"Not yet," I say with a shrug. In truth, I do not know the answer to that question.

"If you do something to that gets my sister hurt, you'll be in a world of trouble," Jason threatens.

I nod my head in understanding. "I would expect nothing less. But since you are being blunt with me, I'll be blunt with you. I think you support her and take her into your household, so she would be better protected."

Jason's mouth falls open and he stares at me wide-eyed. Sookie covers her mouth with her hand in shock, but I can feel her amusement. I do not understand why this is funny to her. A man should be willing to take care of his family.

Jason reiterates the items he needs to pick up for Sookie. She also asks him to get me a pair of shoes. Jason moves next to me, and puts his foot parallel to mine. He whistles in appreciation, and I flinch.

"Big feet," he says as he steps closer to the door. He flashes Sookie a wicked grin and asks, "Is the old saying true?" I smirk inside; damn right the old saying is true

Sookie smiles innocently at him in return, "You may not believe me, but I don't know." Well that's disappointing.

Jason makes one more crude remark and then bolts out the door. The engine of his truck roars to life and he speeds away into the darkness of the night. An awkward silence descends between Sookie and me.

"I'm sorry I came out while your brother was here. I didn't realize you didn't want me to meet him," I say as I move to stand in front of the fire, enjoying the warmth of the flames.

"It's not that," Sookie rushes to say. "I just worry that you are in a heap of trouble, and I don't want my brother to get involved." She moves forward to touch my hand in a comforting gesture.

I clasp her hand in mine, "He is your only brother?"

"Yup. Our parents died when we were young. Our Gran raised us and she passed away last year. He's all I have left," she says quietly, sadness creeping through her every word.

I want to pull her into my arms to make the hurt go away. I do not think she would like that. So I say, "Do not be sad." The sentiment sounds inadequate to my ears.

"I'm not," she says briskly. She steps away from me and picks up a hair brush off the coffee table. She brushes her hair so vigorously that it crackles.

"You've had my blood." Way to be subtle and ease it in the conversation. I want to smack myself.

Sookie freezes, her arm raised to her hair. Her eyes are wide and she looks at me in shock. I rush on, "I mean, I could tell how you were feeling. That wouldn't be possible unless I had given you my blood. Have we…are we lovers?" I blurt out. Oh Gods, stop talking now!

"No," she says quickly. I can feel the truth of her words, but there does seem to be some hesitation from her. If we haven't had sex, maybe we have done other things. The thought gives me hope and I look at her intensely. She begins blushing.

"If this bathrobe isn't your brother's bathrobe, then whose is it?"

"Bill."

"He is your lover?" Anger begins bubbling up inside me. I don't want her to belong to another.

"He was," she says honestly, but there is a little sadness to her voice.

"What happened? Are Bill and I friends?" I do not think I would be friends with this Bill. If he had been with Sookie I cannot see myself being nice to him if I wanted to be with her.

"Not exactly," she draws out. "See, you are the Sheriff of Area 5 in Louisiana. Bill is one of your subordinates." She resumes brushing her hair, looking into the mirror over the fireplace as she does. My eyes lock with hers in the mirror and she begins to blush.

"Are you alright?" I can feel that she is attracted to me, and I shift slightly so that the robe gapes a little revealing my chest muscles. I hope she does not notice that I am flexing slightly.

"Nope, I'm good. You should get dressed. Your jeans are in the dryer, and Jason should be back soon with more clothes for you. Besides, your friends should be here shortly."

"My friends?" The only person I would consider a friend is standing in front of me.

"Actually, I'm not sure they are your friends. I guess Pam is; you guys are pretty tight. Chow at least works for you."

I am irritated at the fact I cannot remember anything. "At Fangtasia?"

She nods her head. "That's where I met you. I don't go that often. Only when you would make Bill bring me to do something for you." Sookie smacks herself in the forehead with the palm of her hand, "I'm an idiot," she mutters.

"Sookie, how could I make you do something for me? May I borrow the brush?" Why do I get the feeling that the other me is an asshole? This poor beautiful woman has enough burdens in her life and I add to them by demanding she does things for me. I hope I at least have paid her well. I pull the brush through my hair and feel Sookie's eyes watching the muscles in my chest. She notices that I am watching her and she flees to her bedroom. I can feel tension and anger coming from her, as well as desire.

I vamp to her room to see her pulling her hair back from her face. "Are you ok? I can feel you are tense," I say. She yelps in surprise and glares at me.

I hold up my hands and back away, "Sorry, sorry!" I look at her in apology. A knock comes from the front door. I can sense it is two vampires. She stomps past me to answer the door, telling me to wait in her room. I hear her greet the two vampires and invite them into her house.

Sookie calls for me to join them in the living room. I slowly move out to find a male and female vampire. I assume this is Pam and Chow. Pam is a beautiful blonde woman dressed elegantly in a fluffy cream sweater and golden-brown knit pants. Chow is a short Asian man with longish straight black hair. He is wearing black pants and a black vest; his exposed skin is covered in tattoos.

I gaze warily at the two vampires. I recognize neither one of them. I can confirm that Sookie was correct in calling Pam my progeny; I feel the bond that I have with her. I feel relief coming from my bond with her.

"Eric, you are well?" Pam moves forward to ask. She inclines her head in a deep bow towards me. Chow bows fully at the waist to acknowledge me.

I try to assert my authority in the situation, "I know you." In truth, I know nothing other than the little that Sookie has told me.

Sookie moves to leave the room to give us privacy, but I do not want her to leave. She is the only person I feel comfortable with. I want her with me so that she can verify any information these vampires give me.

"Please don't go," I say to her, a slight note of panic in my voice. I want to be strong in this situation, but there are too many unknown variables. I can feel Pam's amusement that I am using a human as a buffer against two vampires. Chow does not seem pleased that I want Sookie to stay with me.

A knock sounds at the door. Pam and Chow drop into attack positions; fangs out, hands curled into claws, and their knees bent, ready to pounce if necessary. Sookie moves to the door asking who is there. Jason's voice responds, but he sounds angry. Sookie gestures for Pam to go back through the house and circle around to make sure Jason is alone. Pam moves silently through the house. Chow moves to stand in front of me, ready to defend me if necessary. It is good to know that I inspire loyalty in others that they would willingly defend me.

An angry bellow comes from Jason, and Pam calls out, "Open up."

Sookie opens the door to find Jason locked in Pam's arms. She has lifted him off of the ground and he is flailing about. All of the bags he brought are scattered on the porch. Sookie apologizes to her brother for upsetting him, but she explains that they needed to be sure he was alone. Pam sets Jason down on the ground and he turns around to give her a hard time. But the words die on his lips as he takes in Pam's beauty. Jason tries to flirt with Pam and she just looks at him in amusement.

Sookie reaches through the door to grab the bags. She thanks her brother, but abruptly tells him to leave. Jason finally tears his eyes away from Pam to look at his sister. Jason must have also glimpsed Chow because he suddenly looks afraid.

"Sookie? Are you alright?" Jason steps in the room to be closer to his sister.

Sookie sighs in exasperation, "I'm fine, Jase. These are friends of Eric's that have come to check on him." She sets the bags down in the doorway leading to the kitchen.

Jason looks perplexed. "Well, they'd better go take down those missing person posters then." Everyone in the room is shocked by this, and Jason enjoys being the center of attention. He nods his head as he continues on, "Yup. They got posters at the Grabbit Kwik, Wal-Mart, and the liquor store. I heard other people mention they been posted all over town. The posters explain that he," Jason gestures to me, "is missing and that his friends are offering $50,000 for information about his disappearance."

Pam hisses in anger. "Damn witches! They are hoping to trap Eric. It will work, too, because people around here are desperate for that kind of money."

"We should take care of it." Chow glances at Jason and readies himself to attack. Jason looks ready to fight back, but Sookie grabs hold of his arm and cautions him to stay silent. She looks at Chow angrily and says he will have to kill her too. Chow seems unmoved by her statement. Pam is expressionless, but I can tell through our bond that she is torn. Pam wants to make sure that I am protected; she knows that Sookie and Jason are both liabilities since they have seen me. On the other hand, she seems reluctant to harm Sookie. I think Pam feels affection for her.

Before the situation can escalate any further, I decide to take charge. "Explain the meaning of this, Pam." My voice sounds full of authority, and I stand up straighter to appear imposing.

After a minute, Pam shifts her eyes to me. I can see Sookie and Jason visibly relax as if they sense the danger is at bay. Sookie leads Jason slowly over to the couch near the fireplace and they sit down. I sit down on the floor next to Sookie, so that I can protect her from the other vampires in the room. I will not allow her to be harmed because of me!

Pam sits down in a chair across from us, but Chow remains standing near her side. He still seems to be readying himself for an attack. I calculate the different ways that I will be able to defend Sookie, and by extension Jason. I feel that my odds have considerably improved when I take into account the fire poker that is within arm's reach. At the same moment, I feel extreme satisfaction coming from Sookie. A quick glance back at her face shows that she has a slight smirk to her lips. I wonder what that is about.

Pam explains about the witches. She says that they originally approached me at Fangtasia demanding a share of my businesses. I have more than one business? Am I rich? Pam continues to explain that if they did not receive the money, they would cause problems at the club. Jason seems incredulous and asks how a bunch of girls dressed in black could be such a problem. Pam explains that what Jason is thinking about are pretenders; real witches wield immense power and can cause all kinds of problems. She says that the problems could be so extreme that Fangtasia's revenues could plummet to the point of being worthless. Sookie and Jason both nod in understanding, and he mentions something about protection money. I will have to ask Sookie about that later.

"OK, I understand everything you are saying, but how did Eric end up on the side of the road leading to my house?" Sookie asks in confusion. During the conversation, I have shifted slightly so that my hand circles her ankle and my check rests against her thigh. I can feel the warmth radiating from her through her clothes. I want to curl myself around her so that I can feel more.

Chow takes over the explanation, "We told the witches we needed time to think about their offer. Last night though, one of the lesser witches returned with an alternate proposal. She said that their leader, Hallow, found Eric attractive. She would cut the percentage of money from 50% to 20% in exchange for Eric entertaining her for seven nights."

Jason looks at me with newfound respect. "You must have some kind of reputation," he says to me in awe.

I feel my chest swell with pride and I glance up at Sookie with what I hope is a smoldering stare. She looks at me as if she feels trapped; as if I am the hunter, and she is my prey. Oh my beautiful angel, you have no idea the things I want to do to you when I catch you.

"Against our advice, Eric refused the offer in very insulting terms," Chow says in disgust. I turn to stare at him angrily. He has no right to question my decisions. I am not a slave that can be bought and sold to the highest bidder. "Pam and I were in the office with him. One minute he is sitting in his chair, the next he is gone."

"Ring any bells, Eric?" Sookie asks me, her hand running through the hair on my neck, scratching the scalp slightly. I want to purr in contentment and rub against her. Her stopping pulls me from my enjoyment and I look at her puzzled. Why did she stop?

"Do you remember what happened?" she questions. Ahhh, she wants me to answer her.

"I was born the night you found me. Until you took me in, I was a void," I tell her honestly. I am so very lucky that it was Sookie that found me. I shudder to think of what the alternatives could have been.

"There's more to the story; it feels like you are holding something back," Sookie says shrewdly. "I highly doubt Eric became cursed just for refusing…what did you two do?"

After a lengthy pause, Pam answers, "Chow lost his temper with the witch." Lost his temper is the nice way of saying he killed the witch.

Chow glares at Sookie angrily, but he cannot meet my eyes. He rushes on, "It doesn't matter how it happened." Once this is all over, Chow will have to answer to me for his actions.

"So now what?" Jason demands.

"It would be best if Eric were to remain hidden until we can resolve this issue," Pam states. "Right now, they cannot find him because they cannot find any of his possessions or anyone that has his blood."

I press myself closer to Sookie, trying to shield her from the world. Why is it that I seem to keep putting her in danger even unintentionally? Because she has my blood in her, she too will be wanted by these witches. I hope no one outside the two of us knows she has my blood in her.

"Has he ever been to Merlotte's?" Jason asks out of the blue. What is Merlotte's?

Pam shrugs her shoulders, "I have but I do not think Eric has." Sookie ponders the question for a few moments. "No, I don't think so," she finally says.

Jason nods his head in satisfaction. "Good, then no one can tie him to Sookie." What is he getting at? He continues on, "You want him to stay hidden but safe, dont'cha? How are you going to do that?" Jason asks Pam.

She looks at him with understanding in her eyes. "It would be best if he stayed in a human home. That way no other vampires can enter, and the human can watch over him during his daytime rest."

Sookie interrupts, finally catching on to what they are discussing. She puts her hands over my ears. I put my hands over hers; I can still hear everything she says. "Pam, this is the worst idea I have ever heard! How am I supposed to keep him safe?" Sookie does not want me here? The thought crushes me.

Jason continues on as if Sookie had not spoken. "I think it's only fair that whoever he stays with should receive some form of payment for their troubles."

Pam nods, "Agreed. What do you propose?"

"Fifty thousand, the same amount the witches are offering."

"Twenty-five," Chow counters

"Forty."

"Thirty-five," Pam counters.

"I'll go get Sookie my shotgun," Jason says as he rises to his feet. He exits the house telling Sookie he will be back soon. Pam and Chow bow towards me, nod to Sookie, and vamp out of the house. I know Sookie is not happy with how this situation has turned out, but I cannot help but feel overjoyed. I get to stay with the person that means the most to me in this existence of mine.


	3. Hidden Desires

"How did this happen?" Sookie asks once it is just her and I in the living room. She throws another log on the fire and sits on the rug in front of it. I can feel that she is conflicted about having me here. Part of her is exasperated that this decision was made for her; another part of her is worried. I sink down on the rug next to her; I want to comfort her.

"I think this happened because you have a greedy brother, and because you are the kind of woman who would stop for me even though she is afraid," I say. She looks at me with a "tell me something I don't know" expression, and I cannot help but chuckle.

"How are you feeling about all this?" she asks me with concern. Amazing, despite her own concerns, her first concern is how I will react to all this. She truly is a noble woman.

I give her a satisfied smile, "I am glad they are afraid enough of me to take good care of me." She cocks her head at me in confusion, and I continue. "I must be a frightening person when I am myself. Or do I inspire so much loyalty through my good works and kind ways?"

Sookie sniggers in amusement. I feel my spirits sink; her response must mean that I am a monster. It is no wonder that this wonderful woman is not mine. "I thought not," I respond quietly.

She quickly pats my shoulder, "It's not that. You're alright. You've helped me plenty of times when I needed it." At least I have some redeeming qualities…

"Are you cold?" Sookie suddenly asks me. I shake my head no, but she still pulls a blanket off the back of the couch and throws it over my legs. It is the same blanket that I wrapped myself in last night. It is a myriad of contrasting colors.

"This blanket is truly hideous," I say with a frown.

Sookie smiles softly as she settles herself back down on the rug next to me. "That's what Bill said."

I frown. "Where is this Bill?" Is he going to have a problem with me staying here? I do not wish to fight with someone who Sookie has feelings for, but I will not give her up.

"He's in Peru," she states matter-of-factly.

"Am I to assume your relationship with him has waned?" Please say yes, please say yes…

She nods her head sadly. I move closer to her and lie down on my stomach next to her, propping myself up on my elbows so I can look at her. The way I am laying mirrors her position. I throw the blanket over both of our legs. "Tell me about him." If I find out what drew her to him, maybe I can use it to my advantage to secure her as mine. I try to inhale quietly, her scent is a little spicier this evening. I scoot closer to her so I can feel her warmth and I can taste her scent on my tongue. It is intoxicating.

Sookie gazes into the fire and tells me about Bill. She describes him as cool, calm, overly protective, and stubborn. As she speaks about him, I can feel her agitation. I am confused. I would have expected her to feel love and perhaps grief when she speaks of Bill. I ask her if he had loved her and her eyes water. I begin to panic; I do not know how to handle a crying female. It makes me feel uncomfortable and inadequate. But Sookie manages to pull herself together, and explains that she thought Bill had loved her but that he had cheated on her with a "vampire ho". This vampire had been Bill's maker. She had called him back to her, and they resumed their sexual relationship. As Sookie is speaking of Bill's maker, fleeting images of a male vampire pass through my mind. He is shorter than I and has dark hair. From the glimpses I have, I can tell that he is especially cruel. The flashes are of this vampire torturing others for sport; snapping the necks of children, draining wives in front of their husbands, and then sexually assaulting the men before draining and killing them. I shrink back in horror from these images.

I refocus on Sookie as she tells me of how Lorena tortured Bill, and I shake my head in disbelief. Why would you torture someone you supposedly love? Again, an image of the sadistic vampire appears in my head and I can hear his voice taunting me as the sound of a whip crackles through the air. Who is this vampire to me? I wonder if Sookie knows. But I do not want to speak to her of something so horrific. I hear her end her tale of what happened in Jackson by saying she was hurt badly and I had given her blood to help save her.

"What happened?"

"I got staked believe it or not."

I am impressed. "Is there a scar?"

She flips on her back and lifts her shirt to expose the scar on her side. I move to my side so that I can have a better look. Her beautiful tan flesh is marred by a shiny, jagged scar the size of a wooden stake. I lightly trace my finger over her scar and close my eyes in ecstasy. Her skin is so warm and it feels so good against my own. I want to slide my hand across her bare stomach, spreading my fingers out to hold her down while I use my other hand to pleasure her. I open my eyes and lock my gaze with hers. A blush is spreading across her cheeks and my fangs ache with the need to come down and taste her flesh and blood. She pushes my finger out-of-the-way as she pulls her shirt back down. She sits up and puts some distance between us. I can hear her heart pounding, and feel desire building in her body.

"What happened to the vampire ho?" I ask trying to pull myself together.

She looks at me suspiciously. What did I do? She answers with some hesitation, "Well….um, I…she attacked me while I was saving Bill…and I uh, staked her."

I am even more impressed with her. It is not easy for a human to kill a vampire. "Have you killed anyone else?"

Sookie looks at me in horror. "No! I mean, I hurt a guy that was trying to kill me, but he didn't die. I'm human; we don't kill people because we can."

"Humans kill each other all the time," I say matter-of-fact. "They don't even need to eat them or drink their blood."

"Not all humans," she argues.

"True," I say. "We vampires are murderers." I, too, am I murderer. I may not remember it, but I'm sure that I have killed more than my share.

"But in a way you're like lions," Sookie says out of the blue.

"Lions?" I look at her in astonishment. We are both apex predators, but I fail to see any other similarity.

"Sure; lions kill their food so that they can eat. Vampires do the same thing."

I laugh at her softly. "My dearest Sookie that is a lovely theory, but the problem with that theory is that we look almost exactly like you. We used to be one of you. We can love you and feed from you without killing you. I find it hard to believe that the lion wanted to caress the antelope." My eyes linger on her face. Something in the air shifts between us. I can hear her breath catch in her throat, and her heart begins to pound again. I feel my cock begin to harden with desire. I want this tiny human woman. I want her with a desperation that I cannot begin to understand. I want to pounce on her like a lion and I want to consume her.

"Eric," Sookie says slowly. Her eyes have darkened and she licks her lips unconsciously. "You know you are my guest here. If I tell you to leave, which I will if I feel like you are going to be a danger to me, you'll be standing out in the middle of the country wearing a bathrobe that is too short for you."

"I'm sorry. Did I do something wrong?" I look at her with confusion. I do not understand why she is fighting her attraction to me so much. She wants me, I want her. What is stopping her? She told me that Bill is no longer in the picture. Is there someone else?

I move to the bags that her brother brought in to inspect his purchases. He has purchased several pairs of jeans, t-shirts, boxers, and flannel shirts. I grab a pair of jeans, a pair of boxers, and a t-shirt. I move to the bathroom and take a shower. I can hear Sookie moving around the house, probably putting away the rest of the purchases her brother made.

I quickly wash my hair and body using her shampoo and body wash. As I wash a certain part of my anatomy, I cannot help but give it a squeeze. A small groan escapes my lips. I have been in a near constant state of arousal since I first met Sookie. Being in this shower, with her scent all around me, I cannot help but stroke my cock as I think about how much I want to be inside her. My hand moves slowly but firmly up and down my swollen shaft. I lean against the wall as I think about her pink lips kissing my skin, her hands moving across the muscles of my chest to finally circle around my biceps as she holds herself close to me. My lips part and I begin to pant in desire. I can see my hand slipping inside the waist of a pair of beige panties, my fingers moving to slide along her lower lips. I can see myself slipping a finger inside of her, feeling how tight and wet she is for me. The hand stroking my cock moves in the same rhythm as what I am fantasizing about doing to Sookie. In my mind, I can see myself adding a second finger inside her and she cries out in ecstasy. My hands speed up on my cock and I cum all over myself. My fangs are down and I look around the shower wildly. Why do I get the feeling that really happened? I hurriedly rinse off and dress before Sookie comes to check on me.

I find Sookie sitting in the living room watching TV. She has a bowl of food in her lap that she is quietly snacking on. It smells salty. On the table, I see a True Blood that she has heated up for me. I sink down to the couch next to her and she smiles at me as she moves over to make room for me. Once I'm settled she leans against my arm and rests her head on my shoulder. She explains to me that we are watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I find the show hilarious. The way they inaccurately depict vampires is comical. I also enjoy the character of Buffy; she reminds me of my Sookie. They are both warriors, feisty, beautiful, but there is an underlying sadness to them. I can feel that Sookie is happy and a warm feeling spreads through me. I want her to feel like this always.

Sookie goes to bed around midnight, and I continue to watch the show for a while. I catch myself looking down the hallway to her room several times. Eventually I give up, and turn off the TV. I move into Sookie's bedroom and slide under the covers beside her. She is lying on her back and I move as close to her as possible. She asks me softly if I am cold, and I give a noncommittal answer. I slide my arm across her waist and relax completely. Just being next to her soothes me. I watch her until I know she is in a deep sleep. Taking my arm from her waist, I let my fingers trail softly along the contours of her face. Her skin is as soft as a rose petal, her breath fans across my fingers as I lightly trace her lips. I want to run my hands down her body, but I refrain. I know that my Sookie would not be happy with me exploring her body while she is asleep. Her lips are

I ease myself out of the bed, so that I am not tempted to wake her from her slumber. I have this uncontrollable urge to wake her by kissing every inch of her delectable body. Thinking about Sookie's body reminds me of my shower earlier. Did that really happen or was it the byproduct of a very active imagination? I look towards her dresser and decide to investigate. I silently open the top drawer to find her lingerie. Part of me feels guilty to be going through Sookie's lingerie. But my cock is very excited by the items I find. It seems Sookie has a fondness for silk and lace. The serviceable white cotton bras and panties I find I assume she wears when she has to work. My hands stop as I find a tiny pair of beige underwear that matches the pair I saw in my fantasy. A quick search through the drawer finds the matching bra that I also remember from my fantasy. I hurriedly put the drawer back to rights; I do not need Sookie to know what I was doing. I glide over to the bed and press my lips against hers gently. I pull away and gaze down on her beauty.

"Soon, Lover."


	4. Let's Make Love

_AN: So if you have read Dead to the World, you know where we are in the retelling of this story. If you haven't read Dead to the World, just remember this story is rated M for a reason. Enjoy!_

Something is wrong. That's the first thought I have when my eyes snap open. I cannot sense Sookie anywhere near; she seems far away. She did not tell me about any plans to go out today; in fact, she said she was going to stay close to home to make sure I was safe during the day. I appreciate her wish to care for me. I know she is being paid a lot of money to care for me, but the little things she does for me go far beyond a cash payment.

I try probing the tie with her to see if I can figure out her emotions, but she is too far away for me to sense anything. I snarl in frustration and pound my hand against the dirt of my resting place. The sun will not set for another 45 minutes, so I am trapped in this space. I hate feeling helpless.

My mind swirls with all the possible options for what has happened today. Maybe she went to work. Or maybe she is with her brother or other friends. Maybe the witches have found out about my connection to Sookie and they have taken her. My fangs snap down in anger at that thought. I will destroy any creature, human or supernatural, that hurts Sookie. She is not mine yet, but I know she will be, and I will protect her always.

Even though I do not have to, I take deep breaths to calm myself. Thirty minutes until sundown and then I will be free to search for Sookie. I do not know how I will search for her; perhaps I will call Pam. As I am formulating my plan to search for Sookie, I can feel her moving closer. I exhale in relief. Maybe she just had errands to run. I hope she will use some of the money to buy herself a new car, or at least a newer car than that rusted metal bucket she is currently driving. Maybe once this is over I can buy her a car as a gift to show her my appreciation for everything she has done for me.

As Sookie moves closer, I once again search for clues about how she is feeling. Her emotions are all over the place; exhaustion, worry, disgust, fear, relief, resolve. What has happened today to make her feel so much? Fifteen minutes until sundown and then I will have my answers.

I hear Sookie's car pulling up to the house. The sun finally sets and so I am able to climb out of the hole in the ground. Sookie calls out to me, but I do not answer. I hear her moving around in the kitchen putting items away. She moves back outside. Glancing through the curtains, I can see her carrying a shotgun. Why does she have a shotgun with her? I realize Jason never brought her the shotgun he promised her last night. Maybe she met up with him earlier today to get it. I want to ask her about her day, but I realize I am naked. Sookie will not appreciate me walking through her house naked, so I reach for a pair of jeans that are on the dresser. I decide against underwear because they were not exactly comfortable the other night.

As I am stepping into the jeans, I hear the door of the bedroom open. I know it is Sookie. I suppose I could use my vampire speed to hurriedly dress so she will not see anything, but I do not. I want her to see my body. I smile to myself when I hear her make a noise and quickly draw in a breath. I feel lust coming from her and I smell her arousal. Wiping my face of emotion, I turn around to find her standing still in the doorway with her eyes tightly closed and her hands clenched into fists. I move in front of her and place my hands on her shoulders.

"Sookie, are you alright?" I ask her quietly. Her eyes snap open and I see need as well as pain swirling around in her eyes. I look down at her with concern on my face. As much as I am enjoying her reaction to me, something has happened today to upset her.

She is staring at my chest while she answers me just as quietly. "I'm sorry, I should have knocked. It was rude to walk in on you like that."

"You have seen all of me before?" I make this sound like a question. I want her to confirm that what I've seen in flashes really happened.

"Yes, but it was still impolite." I knew it! I am smiling internally, but I am still worried about the pain I see in her eyes.

"I do not mind. You seem upset."

"I have had a very bad day," Sookie tells me through clenched teeth. "My brother is missing. The witches that cursed you are also Weres and they killed the Vice-President of the Shreveport pack. I found a hand in a flowerbed. Belinda's in the hospital, Ginger is dead," she says hurriedly. "I'm going to take a shower!" Sookie storms out of the room before I can say anything.

I hear her go to her own room and start the water in the shower. I do not know who Belinda and Ginger are, but Sookie is sad about their situation. I am sure finding a hand in a flowerbed is not an everyday occurrence for her, so I can understand her upset. The news about the witches is disturbing to say the least, and my mind whirls with the implications of that information. We must tell Pam; she needs to be warned while she is searching so that harm does not come to her. I also worry that Sookie will need protection above what I can offer. I will need to speak with Pam about this as well. I'm sure we have someone who we can use to give daytime protection for Sookie. As for her brother being missing, I wonder if this is related to the witches.

I hear Sookie enter the shower. Her breathing is accelerated, her heart rate is up, and I can feel wave after wave of lust coming from her. My fangs drop and my cock hardens. I move towards her bathroom without thinking. I want her, she wants me. There is nothing stopping us from being together.

I drop my jeans on her bedroom floor and move into the bathroom. I can see the outline of her body through the shower curtain, and my cock twitches. She is standing under the spray of the shower with her eyes closed. She is running her hands through her wet hair, which pushes her breasts out. She is more beautiful than I imagined. She blindly reaches for the soap, and I push the shower curtain aside.

"I'll do that for you," I say. Sookie gasps and her eyes fly open. She is staring at me in shock, her mouth hanging open slightly. I take the soap from her hands and lather up my own. I place the soap in its niche and begin washing her arms. I raise each arm so that I can clean underneath and her sides. I long to touch her breasts, but I refrain for now. As much as I want her, I will wait for her permission before proceeding. I can feel how much she wants me; I can smell it in the air. But I need to hear the words from her.

"Have we ever made love?" I ask, and she shakes her head to show that we have not. "Then I was a fool," I say as I rub one hand over her stomach in a circular motion. "Turn around, Lover," I command gently.

She turns her back to me in silence, and I begin massaging her shoulders. She is so very tense. I knead and rub her shoulders and neck until I feel the tension leave her body. She sways slightly, and I move closer to her so that I am ready to support her body with my own should she need it. I reach across her to grab the shampoo so that I can wash her hair, and one particular part of my anatomy throbs against her back. Sookie trembles.

"Are you frightened of me?" I slowly massage the shampoo into her hair. My fingers move along her scalp gently. She does not answer me, and I begin to worry that I have overstepped my bounds. I notice that Sookie reaches for the soap and lathers up her hands. She puts the soap back, turns around, and steps closer to me. My erection presses into her stomach and she puts her hands on my backside. I smile in triumph as I realize she wants this as much as I do. I spread my legs so she can have better access to my body. Her hands move to wash my thighs and I can't help but thrust my hips. Her hands move further up my body to caress my erection as she kisses along my chest. She swirls her tongue around my nipple and sucks it into her mouth. My hands move up to cup her head.

"Bite a little," I ask her. She complies and I moan in delight. She alternates between sucking and nibbling on my nipple. My hands move down her spine and her luscious backside. My hands settle on her hips as she switches her attention to the other nipple. Her hands continue to stroke me, and I thrust into her hands.

I pull away and push her against the shower wall. I drop to my knees so that I am level with her beautiful breasts. I place kisses all around her natural bounty, sucking on the skin lightly. My hand is sliding along her lower lips, coating my fingers with her juices. As I suck her nipple into my mouth, I slide a finger inside of her. Sookie fists her hands in my hair and cries out. She rocks her hips back and forth against my hand, and I use my thumb to stimulate her clit.

The water starts to get cold. We hurriedly rinse off. I push open the shower curtain a little harder than necessary, and reach for the towels on the rack. I use one to begin drying Sookie and she uses the other to dry me. I'm not sure how dry we each get since we are kissing the entire time.

"The bed," I whisper raggedly, and she nods in agreement. I carry her to the bedroom and place her on the bed. She hops off the bed and climbs under the covers. I slide in after her and pull her body flush with mine. We resume our kissing but it is at a more frantic pace. Sookie is testing my patience; I want her desperately. Sookie grabs my erection with both hands and squeezes. I move on top of her and she places me at her entrance, rubbing the head of my cock against her nub in the process.

"My lover," I whisper hoarsely. I begin to push forward and she cries out. I did not mean to hurt her, and I still inside her. My fangs are fully out and I am fighting every instinct that tells me to claim her as my own. She is so tight around me; I just want to bury myself to the hilt. I look down at her to reassure her, but her eyes are closed.

"Don't close your eyes. Look at me, Lover," I command. Her eyes flutter open and she stares at me in wonder. She leans up to flick her tongue against my fangs, and I shiver in delight. My fangs are incredibly sensitive, and if she keeps this up I am going to cum.

"Watch me, Lover." I pull out of her suddenly and I can see the protest in her eyes. However, she quickly starts moaning as I place kisses down her body and use my fingers to stretch her. My lips close around her clit and I slide two of my fingers inside her. I pump them in and out, rubbing my fingers against her walls. I flick my tongue against her clit, and her hips rise up to my face. I use one hand to hold her down as I pleasure her with my fingers and mouth. I increase my speed and her moans get louder. As I feel her getting close, I move my mouth to nuzzle her thigh. I want to taste her. I look up her body to make sure she is watching me; she is. I give her a wicked smile before I slip a third finger inside of her. She begins to shake with her orgasm, and I bite into her femoral artery.

Sookie's back arches off the bed and she cries out in ecstasy. I moan with her as the sweet nectar of her blood touches my tongue and slides down my throat. I do not think it is possible for me to have tasted anything this sweet in all of my existence. The blood flows freely from my puncture wounds, and I eagerly lap it up. As I feel the aftershocks of Sookie's orgasm begin to fade, I close the wounds on her thigh. I move up her body swiftly to kiss her as my cock replaces my fingers at her entrance. This time I easily slide fully in her. I don't even get a chance to move before she is squeezing me tightly as she orgasms again. I manage to thrust into her twice before I shout with my orgasm. My head is back and my eyes close as I experience wave after wave of bliss. I collapse on top of Sookie, my head buried in the crook of her neck as I take deep breaths trying to bring my body back under control.

I pull back to stare at her. She brushes the hair back from my face, tucking it behind my ear. She smiles up at me, "I wish I could save orgasms in a jar for when I need them, because I think I had a few extra."

I cannot help it, I roar with laughter. I roll us over so that she is straddling my waist. This beautiful, intelligent, funny girl manages to surprise me at every turn. I worried that she would somehow say this was a mistake, but instead she makes me laugh. I do not know what I have done to deserve her, but I'm not letting her go.

"If I had known you would be this gorgeous with your clothes off, I would have tried to do this sooner," I say with a smile.

"You did try to do this sooner, about twenty times," she says while smiling down at me. She shifts slightly on my lap, and I feel myself begin to harden again.

"Then I have good taste," I say to Sookie with a smile. My smile fades slightly as I realize I know nothing of our history. "Tell me about us. How long have I known you?"

Sookie says she is cold, and shifts to lie beside me. I pull the covers up over us, and we talk while lying on our sides facing each other. She tells me that we met at Fangtasia. She also tells me that Fangtasia was attacked today, but I'm not interested in that. I want to know about us, and tell her so. It takes her a while to recount our history, which sounds very complicated and does not paint me in the best light. To distract her and myself, I begin stroking her body with my hands. I latch on one of her breasts, sliding my fangs into the soft flesh. I suck hard, drawing her nipple into my mouth as well as her blood. Sookie gasps and her body spasms; I feel shock coming from her. She is not used to feeling pain and pleasure at the same time, but I can tell she is finding it pleasurable because I smell a fresh wave of arousal.

Sliding my body closer to hers, I lift her leg over mine so that I can enter her. She gasps again and her hands move down to grip my backside tightly. Sealing the wounds on her breast, I pull back and stare deep into her eyes. I tell her to watch me as I thrust slowly in and out of her. I can see the blush spread across Sookie's cheeks. She is not used to this level of intimacy, which I find surprising. I know she said Bill was her only lover, but did he not see to her pleasure before his own? My pace remains steady; not too fast and not too slow. My thrusts are deep; her clit rubs against my pubic bone on each thrust. I tell Sookie to play with her nipples as I continue to hold her hips in my hands, guiding her movement. She seems hesitant at first, so I begin instructing her. She squeezes her breasts together and rubs her thumbs along the nipples at my command. As she loses her hesitation, I stop instructing her. I want this to be about her pleasure. I watch in fascination as she rolls her nipples between her fingers. She surprises me by pinching her nipples hard and crying out as she cums around my cock. I thrust once more and release into her, capturing her mouth with mine as I hold her tightly to me.

I slip out of Sookie and lie on my back with her pressed against my side. My arm is around her shoulders, and I have my other hand in her hair as she lies with her head on my shoulder. I whisper words of praise and admiration to her. I tell her how beautiful I find her, how happy I am to be with her.

"You are so beautiful," she murmurs against my neck. I pull her head away from my shoulder to look at her. I raise an eyebrow questioningly at her. "You've told me how you thought my body was nice." Her body isn't nice; it's a temple that I will worship at nightly and many times a night if she will let me. "I wanted you to know that I think the same about you."

"What part do you like best?" I tease her.

"Oh, your butt," she says instantly.

"My…bottom?" I am confused. I would have thought she would have said my cock or my mouth. What is so fascinating about that part of my anatomy? She nods her head.

"I would have thought of another part."

"Well, that's certainly…adequate," she says burying her face in my chest.

"Adequate?" I am insulted. I place her hand on my cock and it stirs immediately. I move her hand up and down my length, and she circles it with her fingers. "This is adequate?" I ask as I thrust up into her hand. I know it is impressive.

Sookie looks up at me and smiles, "Maybe I should have said it's a gracious plenty?"

Sookie's hand is moving more quickly along said part. "A gracious plenty; I like it," I say with a wicked grin as I keep thrusting into her hand. I want her again, but I don't want to pressure her because I know she is tired. Imagine my surprise when my beautiful lover slides down in the bed to satisfy me with her talented mouth. After my release, I push her on her back so that I can return the favor. Her body is so sensitive that it doesn't take me long to bring her to climax once more. I lap at her juices eagerly, seeking out every drop of her pleasure so that none is wasted. When there is none left, I slide up her body to kiss her hungrily.

Sookie is asleep quickly. I move out of the bed to the bathroom. I wet a cloth and bring it back to the bed. I wipe down Sookie's body so she will be comfortable during the night. I throw the cloth into the bathroom and climb back into bed with my lover. I snuggle close to her body. Although she is sleeping, I can feel that she is at peace and content. Before the sun rises, I caress her face gently and softly kiss her lips. I slip back into my light-tight space and die for the day with a smile on my lips.


	5. I Put a Spell On You

**Chapter 5**

I breathe deeply as I rise for the night. Even in this dank space I can smell my lover on my skin. I smile with pleasure as I recall the events from last evening. She may not realize it, but Sookie will be mine; that is the only thing I am sure of in this existence. As I wait for the sun to set, I think of the different ways I can please my lover tonight. I know she is at work now, so she will be tired and perhaps hungry when she returns. I cannot help her with her need for food, but I can think of many ways to help her relax. Thankfully, the sun drops below the horizon; the direction of my thoughts had made it quite uncomfortable in that cramped hole.

I shower quickly, unfortunately washing Sookie's scent off. I use her soap and shampoo; their smells bring me small comfort as they remind me of her. I dress in the jeans and sweatshirt Sookie's brother purchased for me. I look in the mirror searching for answers about who I am. Something does not feel right; the clothes fit, but I do not feel comfortable in them. They irritate my skin; they feel rough and hard against my body. Given the two articles of clothing I arrived in, I do not think Jason and I share the same taste in clothing.  
I am too restless to stay in the house, so I exit through the kitchen and find myself outside. The sounds of the night slowly fade to nothing; all nature's creatures can sense an apex predator in their midst. I take off running through the woods. I enjoy the feel of the wind in my hair. I run haphazardly through the woods, not knowing where I am going. I feel free.

I stop suddenly; I feel Sookie's unease and worry. I turn around, heading for her home. I break through the woods to see her car. Using all of my senses, I find no danger in the area. I do not understand what has caused her panic.

Sookie flings open the car door and scrambles out. She rushes towards the house, but I catch her in my arms, wrapping her around my waist in the process.

"Eric, you shouldn't be out…" Whatever she has to say can wait. I need to kiss her; I need to feel her body against mine. I press her against one of the pillars on the back porch, grinding my hips against her. I don't care about anything at the moment other than the quickest way to get Sookie out of her clothes. I feel Sookie's body surrendering to mine; I want to shout in victory. Instead, I move my lips across her face and down her neck, placing lingering kisses along her throbbing pulse.

"Eric," Sookie gasps as I swirl my tongue along her clavicle.

"Shhh," I whisper against her skin, causing her body to shudder.

"No, listen to me. We have to hide!"

"From whom?" I whisper into her ear before sucking the lobe into my mouth. Gods she tastes divine!

Sookie shivers against me again, but I can hear the resolve in her voice. "The witch that's after you came into Merlotte's tonight looking for you. She and her brother asked about any local vampires; we had to tell them about Bill. They are at his house right now lookin' for you! What if they come here? I can't let anything happen to you!" Sookie cries, her anxiety increasing with every word she spoke.

I am overjoyed to hear in an indirect way that Sookie cares for me, that any harm that may befall me will hurt her. But my hubris has taken a blow. She does not think I can protect us? I admit this witch had gotten the best of me once, but I like to think that was through no fault of my own. I am confident I can handle a single witch. I am also curious; perhaps seeing my adversary will cause me to remember something.

"Come on, Lover, let us go look," I say with one last kiss to her lips. I spin her around so she is clinging to my back. I take off running for the cemetery. I do not run as fast as earlier because I do not wish to harm Sookie, but it is still faster than a normal human. I feel her limbs wrapped tightly around me. I can feel both concern and enjoyment coming from her. She has nothing to fear; I will protect her.

We run through the cemetery and then begin the uphill climb to her neighbor's home. I do not like knowing that my lover's ex lives this close to her. I will have to speak to Sookie about my concerns, but now is not the time. I see the house come in to view and head for a large oak tree. I lower Sookie's legs and then hold her hands so she can slide easily down my back. I pull her around so that she is wedged between me and the tree. She grips my wrists tightly. We both freeze when we hear voices nearby.

"The car is cold, the house is locked; it looks like no one has been here for a while." I stiffen as I hear the woman's voice. I cannot place how I know it, but it is familiar to me. Flashes of a woman standing in front of a desk flash through my head. In the vision, she is a masculine looking woman, and her style of clothing accentuated her manly mannerisms rather than softening them. She was accompanied by someone who could have only been a family member; they looked exactly alike. I pull myself from my thoughts when I feel Sookie shift beneath me. She is trying to move away from the tree, but I press her more firmly against the tree. The two witches are trying to break into the house and Sookie thinks she can stop them. I smile into her hair as I hold her close; my little warrior. The scent of Were suddenly wafts through the air; not just one Were but at least a dozen. The two witches must have noticed the intruders, because they shift as well.

"Sorry," Sookie whispers into my ear. What does she have to apologize for? The sound of wolf's howl fills the air followed by snarls and snapping jaws. The sound of dog fighting fills the air, but I cannot see anything from our position. I wish I could see what was going on. As quickly as the thought enters my head, I find that I have shot up to the roof the rundown former plantation. I can fly?! Why did no one think to mention that to me? I quickly check on Sookie to see that she is hunched down, holding a dog. I snort in disgust. A dog at a wolf fight? I know it is a shifter that my Sookie is clinging to. If he was here to help her in some way, he should have changed into a more formidable foe.

Scanning the other side of the yard, I can see a pack of wolves circling the two witches. One of the pack members tries to attack the witches but they are tossed to the side like a human swatting at a bug. Seeing that they are outnumbered, the two witches run for their car. Once in the car, they shift back to humans. They speed down the driveway, running over another Were as they escape. I fly into the night after the car; however I lose them once they enter the highway for Shreveport. Feeling disappointed and exhilarated at the same time, I fly back to my Sookie.

I land in the yard to find myself surrounded by the pack of Weres and Sookie sitting on the porch steps. "I followed them to the highway, but then I lost them." I am still excited to know I can fly. I want to take Sookie up in the air to show her the stars. The dog that had been with Sookie trots toward me growling. "Shoo," I command and wave my hand. Does this furball think he can intimidate me?

A large black wolf moves toward Sookie and I tense waiting to see what he will do. If he makes a move to harm her, I will end every wolf in this yard without a second thought. As I strategize on how to best defend my lover, I see the wolf lead Sookie over to a naked woman lying on the ground. The woman's arm and leg are lying at unnatural angles, and I can smell Were blood in the air, not an appetizing aroma.

Sookie tosses her keys to me, "Go get my car." Hearing the urgency in her voice, I do as she asks. Within minutes, I am landing in the yard of her home. I look at the rusted metal bucket in disgust. With a sigh, I adjust the driver's seat as far back as I can, which isn't much. My knees still hit the steering wheel as I turn the key in the ignition and throw the car into reverse. I wonder how long I have been driving.

I speed to the ramshackle house. Once I am in the driveway, I slam on the brakes, kicking up loose pieces of gravel. I would enjoy driving a lot more in a better car, definitely something with more speed. I see an elder naked man carrying the injured woman wrapped in blankets. I open the backdoor so he can place the injured girl in there. I reach through the other side to help him adjust her so she is as comfortable as possible. Sookie gets in the driver's seat, and I slide into the passenger seat to go with her.

"No way; you aren't going!"

I argue with her, "Why not?"

She looks exasperated as she explains, "Eric, I'm already going to have difficulty explaining how she got injured. It will be even worse if I have a vampire with me. Besides, they have wanted posters for you everywhere! There isn't a person in this parish that couldn't use that money!"

Reluctantly, I exit the vehicle, closing the door behind me. Sookie yelled through the window as she started the car, "Turn off the lights and lock the house up!"

The elder naked Were yelled back for Sookie to meet us at Merlotte's. Once the vehicle is out of sight, the naked man turns to me. "You are welcome to join us, Sheriff Northman." I nod my head at the man, watching as he and his wolves turn back towards the cemetery.

Once they are out of sight, I turn towards the house to do exactly as Sookie asked. The collie is still sitting on the porch steps, looking at me with his head titled. I walk past him to do the two things Sookie asked of me.

Once I walk down the steps, I turn towards the dog, "Come on, Fido. Show me where this Merlotte's is." The collie growls at me, and I raise my eyebrow in return. After a minute of this ridiculous stare down, the dog trots off, leaving me to follow behind.


End file.
